The Hall at the Centre
The Shorinbo Main Hall (照林坊本堂, Shōrinbō Hondō) is the 1852 worship hall at the centre of Shorinbo temple in Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 July 2011.
Shorinbo belongs to the Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu, the True Pure Land school, and this is the building where its parishioners gather before the image of Amida Buddha. It stands in the middle of the precinct facing east, with the 1665 main gate directly in front and a covered corridor running from its rear to the priests' quarters.
It is a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 629 square metres. Among the eight Shorinbo buildings registered together it is by far the largest, almost twice the size of the next biggest, the priests' quarters at 315 square metres. Completed in 1852 (Kaei 5), it was repaired in the Meiji period and again in 1958.
Why It Was Registered
The Shorinbo Main Hall was registered as a building that serves as a model of its type. Only three of the temple's eight listed buildings were registered under that criterion; the other five were listed for their contribution to the landscape. In other words, the form of the hall itself was judged worth learning from.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a large-scale Shin Buddhist main hall. Its plan has the full set of spaces such halls need: an outer sanctuary (Gejin) where the congregation sits, an inner sanctuary (Naijin) for the principal image, side chambers flanking the inner sanctuary, a broad veranda across the front, pillars standing at the edge of the surrounding veranda to carry the eaves, and a rear chamber behind the altar. Shin temples were built to hold large congregations, and this hall has room for them.
Two features set the plan apart, according to the Agency. First, there is no yaraiuchi. Many Shin halls fence off the part of the outer sanctuary nearest the altar with a low railing; here that enclosure was never made. Second, the front veranda originally turned the corner and continued some way along the sides. The hall follows the standard Shin type closely, then departs from it in these details, and that combination is what earned the listing.
What to Look At
The great roof and porch
The roof is hip-and-gable (irimoya), laid with alternating round and flat tiles in the heavy hon-gawara manner. A Kōhai porch projects at the centre of the east front to shelter worshippers on the steps. Spread over 629 square metres of floor, the roof dominates the view from anywhere in the grounds.
A colonnade of eave pillars
Pillars stand at regular intervals along the outer edge of the veranda, holding up the deep eaves. They throw a band of shadow around the hall and make the walls seem set back from the edge of the building.
The painted ceiling
The Miyoshi Tourism Promotion Organization describes the Shorinbo Main Hall as unusually lofty, 11 ken on each side, with a ceiling of panels painted in the Edo period and restored over the years, no two alike. The Agency's description does not mention the paintings, so their date and painter have not been confirmed.
Traces of the first veranda
The Agency's wording, that the front veranda originally wrapped onto the sides, implies the arrangement was later altered. Standing near the front corners, it is worth looking at how the veranda now ends and whether any trace of the earlier layout survives.
Visiting the Main Hall
The exterior of the Shorinbo Main Hall can be seen freely from the temple grounds. Pass through the main gate and the porch and roof rise straight ahead; because the front faces east, it catches the light in the morning. The line of eave pillars reads best from the south or north side of the precinct.
Inside, this is a working hall used for services, and as of October 2026 we found no announcement of regular public openings. To see the interior or the ceiling paintings, or to take photographs inside, ask the temple in advance. During a service, look on quietly from outside.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shorinbo Main Hall
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Q&A
- When was the Shorinbo Main Hall built?
- It was completed in 1852 (Kaei 5) and repaired in the Meiji period and in 1958. Several other buildings at Shorinbo are older, including the main gate, bell tower, sutra storehouse and priests' quarters.
- Why is the Shorinbo Main Hall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 25 July 2011 as a building that serves as a model of its type. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a large Shin Buddhist hall with outer and inner sanctuaries, side chambers, a broad front veranda and a rear chamber, and notes its distinctive plan, which has no fenced yaraiuchi area.
- Can I go inside the Shorinbo Main Hall?
- As of October 2026 there was no announcement of regular public openings. The hall is used for services, so contact the temple in advance if you hope to see the interior or take photographs. The exterior can be viewed from the grounds.
- How big is the Shorinbo Main Hall?
- Its building area is 629 square metres, the largest of the eight registered buildings at Shorinbo. The local tourism organization describes it as 11 ken on each side.
- How old are the ceiling paintings in the Shorinbo Main Hall?
- According to the Miyoshi Tourism Promotion Organization they were painted in the Edo period and have been restored over time, each panel with a different design. They are not mentioned in the Agency's records, and their exact date and painter are unconfirmed.
Basic Information
| Name | Shorinbo Main Hall (照林坊本堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1280 Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, tiled roof, building area 629 square metres |
| Owner | Shorinbo (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the temple grounds; no regular interior openings announced |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Shorinbo Main Hall (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008775
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shorinbo Main Hall (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/224726
Last verified: 2026.10.07
